Ergogenic effects of anabolic steroids

In writing this article I am not suggesting that athletes use caffeine nor am I supporting the use of performance enhancing drugs. I am simply reviewing the use of caffeine as an ergogenic aid as well as the known health consequences. Athletes must individually decide whether or not it is appropriate to use this drug -- both in competition and day-to-day. All of the information for this article came from the current medical literature. Those of you who take prescription medications or who are under a physician's care should check with your doctor about the relevance of caffeine to your health.
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Educating Athletes
It’s important for RDs to understand that supplement use is widespread among athletes of all ages and at every level. Aspiring athletes as young as those in middle school are using Adolescents often feel pressure to obtain athletic scholarships and look to ergogenic aids as a way to realize their goals. That’s problematic because RDs don’t have evidence supporting the use of nutritional ergogenic aids in young athletes. “Most of the research we have on ergogenic aids is done on the adult population over the age of 18,” Mangieri says.

With caffeine, as with any drug or supplement, there is the potential
for abuse and misuse. A recent cover story in . News
& World Report cited the increased use and abuse of caffeinated
drinks such as Red Bull, especially among adolescents (Shute
2007). The growing appeal of high-octane energy drinks has had
some officials concerned enough to act. The FDA recently sent a
warning letter to Redux Beverages LLC of Las Vegas—the manufacturer
of Cocaine Energy Drink—for marketing the beverage
“as an alternative to an illicit street drug.” The company’s own
website used the terms “cocaine—instant rush.” [ Editor’s note: In early May, the product was pulled from shelves nationwide; the
company reintroduced the drink under a new name in mid-June.]
Elsewhere, a high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, recently
banned a drink called Spike Shooter after two students
were taken to the hospital complaining of nausea, vomiting and
heart palpitations after drinking an 8-ounce can, which contains
300 mg of caffeine (Shute 2007).

Ergogenic effects of anabolic steroids

With caffeine, as with any drug or supplement, there is the potential
for abuse and misuse. A recent cover story in . News
& World Report cited the increased use and abuse of caffeinated
drinks such as Red Bull, especially among adolescents (Shute
2007). The growing appeal of high-octane energy drinks has had
some officials concerned enough to act. The FDA recently sent a
warning letter to Redux Beverages LLC of Las Vegas—the manufacturer
of Cocaine Energy Drink—for marketing the beverage
“as an alternative to an illicit street drug.” The company’s own
website used the terms “cocaine—instant rush.” [ Editor’s note: In early May, the product was pulled from shelves nationwide; the
company reintroduced the drink under a new name in mid-June.]
Elsewhere, a high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, recently
banned a drink called Spike Shooter after two students
were taken to the hospital complaining of nausea, vomiting and
heart palpitations after drinking an 8-ounce can, which contains
300 mg of caffeine (Shute 2007).